*Excerpts from Chapter 56 of Sea Spell*

"Pale an drawn, seated on a high throne of black marble, Serafina gazed out over the Courtyard of the Condemned.

A gold crown studded with pearls, emeralds, and red coral-Merrow's crown-graced her head. Gold chains of office hung from her shoulders, set off by the deep black of her high-necked sea-silk gown. Alitheia, her bodyguard, stood just behind the throne, her eyes alert for any threat."

Mahdi sat to one side of her. He too sat tall and straight. He wasn't required to come, and Sera had made that clear. He didn't want her to go through it alone, after all he would have to sit through it if this should ever happen again. His tunic was a deep blue, with gold embellishments.  He had a small dagger hidden safely under his tunic, and at reach if needed at a moments notice. 

"Lucia's brief reign was over. Sera was her realm's regina now. She was honored to take her mother's place upon Miromara's throne, relieved that her uncle had been defeated, and happy to be overseeing the reconstruction of her realm. Yet her victory was bittersweet. Her crown had been won back, but it's price had been high.

She had not set fin in this courtyard once in her entire life. Even her mother had not. The Courtyard of the Condemned had not been used since her grandmother Artemesia's time.

Her eyes took in the court's high stone walls now, the armed guards lining them, and the block of wood, hewn from the mizzenmast of some ship wrecked centuries ago, that stood in the courtyard's center. The block was about two feet high, and a foot and a half wide. A smooth, elliptical depression had been carved into its top.

Sera knew what that block was for, and vowed that if if were to be used today, she would not look away.

Her gaze traveled up, to the tower at the top of the far wall. It housed a huge bronze bell and was flanked by statues of the sea goddess Neira, and her sister, Verita, the goddess of justice. The sight of the deities brought painful memories back for Sera. Of the end of the battle....

... For once, the gods had listened. For once, they'd taken pity on her,..." Sera was living proof. The gods had allowed Sera to live through it all. Now she was here to show how much it really took to take her down.

Mahdi's visits nearly everyday. The doctors telling her friends, and family that she wasn't going to make it. The gods had seen this, and restored what was almost lost.

"... The bell in the tower began to toll now. Its sound, low and ominous, tore Sera from her memories and brought her back to the present.

Twelve times the bell tolled. When it was finished, a pair of heavy doors opened in the wall underneath the tower.

Drummers swam in first, beating a slow tattoo. They were followed by dirgecasters, who were dressed in robes of dark gray edged with silver. Both drummers and singers took their places at Sera's left. Next came the realm's powerful duchessas. Each bowed in turn to Sera, then took her seat in a row of high-backed chairs at Sera's right. One chair remained empty: Portia Volnero's.

Desiderio, now Miromara's high commander, swan in next. His shoulders were broad under his uniform; he held his head high. He was nineteen now, only two years older than Sera was, and the second-most-powerful mer in the realm.

He's too young for this burden, she thought, looking at him.

She was too. But what choice did they have?

Desiderio bowed to her, then in a loud, ringing voice, called for the Keeper of Justice. Three deep booms were heard from the drummers, and then an elderly merman, garbed in purple and holding a purple staff, swan through the doors and into the center of the courtyard.

'Greetings, Regina Serafina,' he said solemnly without bowing.

Sera did not expect him to. He represented the rule of law, and in Miromara the law bowed to no one, not even the regina herself.

'Greetings, Keeper,' Sera said, her voice ringing out strong and clear. 'You have presided over the realm's case against it former high commander. The prosecution and defense have concluded their arguments. Has the jury reached a verdict?'

The keeper noded. 'It has, Your Grace.'

'Lead the prisoner forth,' Sera commanded.

She swallowed hard as her uncle, dressed only in a simple white sea-flax tunic, swan through the door. He was escorted by two guards. His hair had been cropped short. His hands were bound behind his back.

As she regarded him, Sera thought about how much he'd taken from her. Through his cruel deeds, he'd smashed her heart to pieces again and again, and yet that heart was beating, still alive, still capable for feeling sorrow. Even for him. ..."

"...'Keeper, the verdict, please,' she said, with no trace of emotion in her voice.

'The jury finds the defendant, Vallerio de Merrovingia, guilty of regicide, high treason, and war crimes,' the keeper intoned. 'The high court sentences him to death by beheading, followed by the singing of gallows dirges.'

'Vallerio de Merrovingia, you have heard your sentence. The high court decrees that you must pay for your crimes with your life,' Sera declared. She paused to let her words sink in, then said, 'It is the right of the condemned to speak aloud your last words. Have you any?'

'I do,' Vallerio said. 'I underestimated you, Serafina. You are much changed from the young mermaid I knew. You are stronger and smarter than I believed you to be. An able and impressive ruler. I never thought you would learn to lead so fast.'

'I had a very capable teacher.' This time Sera was unable to keep the bitterness from her voice.

Vallerio laughed darkly. 'I suppose you did. However, it appears that the student is now the master. You are there,' he nodded at the throne, 'and I am here. But soon I shall be gone.'

Sera winced at that, just slightly, but Vallerio caught it.

'Don't worry. I'm not going to beg you for my life. But I will caution you to be careful with your. Very careful.'" There was a slight pause in his speech. Then he continued. "After all you just about lost yours just recently did you not? It would be a shame if your realm was to loose another ruler."

"My life was put on the line because of your daughter Lucia Volerno. Who we are searching for day and night. She too will pay for her crimes against the throne. And her future is looking just as bright as yours," Sera said in retaliation.

"His lips curled into a mocking smile. Malice glinted in his eyes.

'Your mother had an expression: Play the board, not the piece. You've played well, Serafina, but not well enough. Did you really think I wouldn't have an endgame? Orfeo and I made a deal. I would help him search for the talismans, and he would help me take over the water realms.'

'That is hardly news, uncle,' Sera said. She managed to keep her voice even, but a cold dread crept over her.

'No,' he allowed, 'but this is: I made Orfeo promise that if something happened to me, he would protect Lucia. And he will. He gave me his word. Abbadon will slaughter you and your friends, and then Orfeo will restore my daughter to the throne. Good-bye, Serafina. Enjoy the view from up there...while you still have it.'

Serafina felt her gorge rise. ...

'Great Neria forgive you, Uncle,' she said, 'for I cannot.'

Vallerio's guards moved to lead him to the wooden block, but he shook them off and swan to it himself. The executioner, a tall, muscular merman in a black hood, had quietly come forward. He was floating by the block now. His curved ax was leaning against it. He offered Vallerio a blindfold, but Vallerio refused it. He bent his tail, like a terragogg might bend his knees, and lowered his head to the block, resting it in the smooth hollow.

The executioner leaned down to him, grasped the collar of his tunic, and tore it open to expose his neck. Sera's hands tightened on the arms of her throne. She didn't want to watch this, but she had no choice. Regina's were required to witness the executions of those the high court condemned.

The executioner lifted his ax. He swung it back and forth through the water, picking up speed with each arc, sharpening his focus, priming his aim.

And then, with no further preliminaries, he swung it high above his head. As the fearsome blade began its final descent, Vallerio suddenly tilted his head and raised his eyes to Sera's.

'Checkmate,' he said, just before the ax came down."